Oil painting foundation courses
Summer Oil Painting Foundation
Monday Evenings July 27 – August 31 18 hours
📍 Kamminer Straße 9, Berlin
Fee: €595 (payment plan available)
Learn the foundations of traditional oil painting in a focused, small-group setting.
You'll be guided step by step through the process of building a painting — from underpainting and colour mixing to developing a finished work. Teaching is practical, structured, and tailored to each student.
Max. 6 participants to ensure individual attention.
All materials included.
Autumn Oil Painting Foundation
Thursday evenings - Sept 3 - Oct 8 6 - 9 pm 18 hours
📍 Kamminer Straße 9, Berlin
Fee: €595 (payment plan available)
Learn the foundations of traditional oil painting in a focused, small-group setting.
You'll be guided step by step through the process of building a painting — from underpainting and colour mixing to developing a finished work. Teaching is practical, structured, and tailored to each student.
Max. 6 participants to ensure individual attention.
All materials included.
The Human Head in Oil
2 -Day Intensive with Peter Najad Kasim
Peter Kasim: Two-Day Intensive – Head Painting in Oils
Weekend 8–9 August 11 - 6pm both days
Join internationally recognised portrait painter Peter Kasim for an immersive two-day workshop dedicated to painting the head from life.
Working from a professional model throughout both days, participants will complete one sustained oil painting, developing it from the initial drawing through to a resolved finish under Peter's guidance.
The workshop begins with a focused introduction to Peter's approach, including the essential theory behind his process and a live demonstration. The remainder of the workshop is devoted to practical painting, with Peter providing individual guidance throughout.
During the workshop you will explore:
Peter Kasim's approach to portrait painting
Constructing and drawing the head accurately
Understanding form, light and structure
Colour mixing for convincing flesh tones
Brush handling and paint application
Developing a painting over two full days
Individual critiques and one-to-one feedback
Suitable for: Intermediate and advanced painters, or confident beginners looking for an intensive introduction to painting the head in oils.
Dates: 8–9 August 2026
Time: 11:00–18:00 each day
Location: Burnt Sienna Art School Berlin, Charlottenburg
Peter Najad Kasim brings years of experience in classical and contemporary portrait painting to this two-day workshop. Hosted by Louise Lenz at the beautiful Burnt Sienna Berlin studio, the course guides students from structured sculpture studies to live model painting in oil, combining expert teaching with an inspiring creative space.
Foundations of Drawing: Two-Day Intensive
With Paola Ferri
Build strong drawing skills through observation, structure and light. This weekend intensive introduces the essential principles of drawing, from constructing simple forms and understanding proportion to creating convincing depth, volume and composition. Through demonstrations, practical exercises and individual feedback, you'll develop confidence in drawing from life and strengthen the foundations needed for both drawing and painting.
Suitable for: Complete beginners and artists looking to refresh or strengthen their observational drawing skills.
10–11 October 2026
10:00–16:00 (1-hour lunch break)
Burnt Sienna, Kamminer Str. 9, 10589 Berlin
€240 (€195 solidarity)
✓ 15 hours studio tuition
✓ Curated museum and gallery visits
✓ All materials included
✓ Maximum 6 participants
✓ Individual feedback and mentoring
✓ Suitable for beginners and returning painters
Summer Oil Painting Intensive Foundation Course
13 July - 17 July 2026
Monday–Friday · 10:00–13:00
15 hours studio tuition + 15 g hours curated afternoon museum and gallery visits with drawing excercises
€595
An intensive week of oil painting for beginners and returning painters. Through daily studio sessions, students learn underpainting, colour theory, composition, glazing techniques, and the development of a finished painting. Small group teaching ensures individual guidance and regular feedback throughout the programme.
Afternoons are dedicated to curated visits to Berlin's museums, galleries, and artist-led spaces, providing historical context, contemporary references, and direct engagement with painting in practice.
All materials included
Payment plans and reduced fees for low-income students are available — please just ask.
Location
Kamminerstr. 9, 10589 Berlin
4 minutes from Mierendorffplatz U7
Last remaining place
Museum & Studio Drawing with Jane Haycock
Develop your observational drawing through a unique combination of guided museum visits and practical studio sessions. Alternating between Berlin's museums and Burnt Sienna's Charlottenburg studio, this six-week course explores composition, proportion, tone and mark-making while building confidence in drawing from observation.
Fridays | 3:00–5:00 pm
11 September – 16 October
Dates: 11 Sept • 18 Sept • 25 Sept • 2 Oct • 9 Oct • 16 Oct
Location: Burnt Sienna, Kamminerstraße 9, 10589 Berlin, with three guided museum visits across Berlin. Week 1 Alte Nationalgalerie, week 3; neue Nationalgalerie and week 5; Hamburger Banhof
Price: €325
Suitable for beginners with some drawing experience through to intermediate artists. Maximum 8 participants.
Louise Lenz in the studio at Burnt sienna 2019. Photo: Bert Spangemacher
Courses & Programmes
Burnt Sienna offers structured oil painting education for beginners, developing artists, and professionals.
Courses are taught in English in small groups of no more than six students, with all materials included. Students learn traditional oil painting techniques, build confidence, and receive individual guidance in a serious artist-led studio environment.
✓ Beginners welcome
✓ Small groups
✓ Materials included
✓ Charlottenburg & Neukölln studios
Summer Intensive: 13 - 17 July / · Last place available
Oil Painting Intermediate Course
6 weeks · 10 July – 14 August 2026
Fridays · 18:00–21:00
18 hours · €595
An intermediate oil painting course for students who already have some experience with painting and would like to deepen their technical understanding and develop a more sustained body of work.
The course focuses on observation, colour relationships, paint handling, composition, and individual development through longer-form painting projects and group feedback.
All materials included
Payment plans and reduced fees for low-income students are available — please just ask.
Location
Kamminerstr. 9 10589.
Last place
WEDNESDAY EVENING ATELIER
A weekly evening life drawing and painting studio in Burnt Sienna’s Charlottenburg atelier space, working from a live nude model under single-point lighting within a serious but welcoming studio environment.
Participants work observationally alongside painters and artists in residence within the atmosphere of a working painting school and atelier.
Choose between:
• Standing easel place for oil painting
• Seated drawing board place for dry materials
Suitable both for beginners seeking strong foundations and more experienced artists wishing to develop a sustained studio practice. Professional atelier easels, drawing boards, chairs, and shared studio setup are provided depending on your booking type.
Please bring your own materials.
Tea, coffee, wine, and soft drinks are available to purchase during the session.
Book individual sessions or a 10 class pass for continuity and sustained studio practice.
Every Wednesday
19:00–22:00
Fee: 18 euros
Burnt Sienna — Institute of Painting and Artistic Practice
Kamminerstr. 9, 10589
Charlottenburg, Berlin
Studio located on the ground floor.
Accessible via U7 Mierendorffplatz and Ringbahn Jungfernheide.
Parking available outside.
Small group studio atmosphere. All levels welcome.
Overview of our art
courses and programmes
Foundation Course in oil painting
A structured introduction to traditional oil painting, designed for beginners and developing artists. Over six weeks, students learn essential techniques—from preparing surfaces and underpainting to colour mixing and building a finished painting—within a small, supportive studio group.
Intermediate Course in oil painting
Designed for students with some painting experience who want to deepen their technical skills and develop their own artistic voice. Over six weeks, artists refine colour, composition, and painting techniques while working on more ambitious studies with individual guidance and group critique.
Workshops in painting
Short, intensive sessions 3 hour painting classes in oil painting techniques. bespoke and free. Ideal for a creative boost without long-term commitment.
Mentoring & Residencies
Designed for emerging artists seeking a professional approach to developing their practice. The programme includes one-to-one tutorials, group critiques, and independent studio time in a dedicated studio environment.
Private one on one class
A focused, one-to-one painting session in the Burnt Sienna studio, tailored entirely to you. Suitable for beginners and more experienced painters, with expert guidance from academy-trained tutors. All materials included.
All courses combine hands-on tuition, high-quality materials, and group discussion to create a complete learning experience. Students develop technical mastery while building confidence in both traditional and contemporary painting practice.
Foundation oil painting Course
Perfect for beginners eager to learn the fundamentals of drawing and oil painting, including colour theory, composition, and studio techniques. Our Foundation Courses take place in Burnt Sienna’s historic Neukölln studio, a bright and inspiring space where students receive individual attention in groups of no more than six.
Each course runs for six sessions of three hours each (6 × 3h), providing a structured introduction to the principles of observational drawing and painting. Through hands-on exercises, students build technical confidence from the very first session, learning how to mix and apply colour, understand proportion and form, and explore a variety of traditional oil painting methods under the guidance of professional tutors.
The small-group format encourages both focus and collaboration, allowing each participant to progress at their own pace while benefiting from shared critiques and discussion. On completion, every student receives a Certificate of Achievement, recognising their progress and newly acquired skills in the foundations of painting and drawing.
Course fee: €595 · Solidarity rate: €480
“The oil painting foundation course with Louise was my first experience with oil paints and a key step in learning to think like an artist. The studio’s atmosphere was intimate and supportive, and it was inspiring to learn alongside such focused and passionate people.”
Not sure if you want to sign up to the full course yet ? Book yourself in for a saturday class. This session gives you a real experience of how we teach
working in a small group, with individual guidance, in a focused studio environment.
You’ll be introduced to:
How to begin a painting (underpainting)
Working from observation
Basic colour mixing
How to build a painting step by step
No experience needed.
All materials are provided.
If you decide to continue, your fee will be deducted from the full course fee.
Valid for 7 days after your session.
Intermediate oil painting Course
Ideal for students with some prior experience who wish to refine their technical skills and develop a more personal artistic style. Our Intermediate course offers a focused and inspiring environment for small groups of up to six participants.
Each course consists of six sessions of three hours each (6 × 3h) and builds upon the fundamentals covered in the Foundation Courses. Students explore more advanced aspects of drawing and oil painting, including composition, colour harmony, glazing, and the development of independent projects. Each session combines demonstration, guided studio work, and one-to-one feedback from professional tutors, ensuring that every participant receives personalised support.
Discussion and critique play a key role throughout the course, helping students to expand their understanding of contemporary studio practice while deepening their appreciation of traditional techniques. Upon completion, each participant is awarded a Certificate of Achievement, acknowledging their progress and dedication to advancing their artistic practice.
Course fee: €595 · Solidarity rate: €480
“I would love to say that this course has so warm and welcoming atmosphere! Emma is a great teacher who helped me with my path of working on my painting. She shared knowledge, was very supportive, and helped me achieve my results. I would be glad to come back to another course! ”
Intensive Oil Painting Foundation
5 day intensive course
A five-day studio intensive covering the core curriculum of the Burnt Sienna Oil Painting Foundation Course. Learn essential oil painting techniques in a small group of max. 6 students, create a finished canvas painting and studies, and explore Berlin’s museums and galleries together.
€595 – All materials included
Workshops
Our workshops offer short, intensive sessions focused on specific themes such as still life, portraiture, or advanced oil painting techniques. Perfect for those seeking a creative boost, workshops provide concentrated learning in a single area, allowing students to experiment and expand their skills without committing to a longer course.
Each workshop emphasises hands-on practice, individual guidance, and group discussion, ensuring that students leave with both new skills and renewed inspiration for their ongoing artistic practice.
Artist residency - mentoring programme
Designed for emerging artists ready to take their practice to a professional level, our twelve-week Mentoring Programme offers a structured and supportive framework within Burnt Sienna’s historic Neukölln loft studio. Participants work independently on their painting projects while receiving personalised one-to-one guidance and monthly group critiques with fellow artists in a collaborative, international environment.
Each artist enjoys 24-hour studio access, a dedicated workspace, and full use of professional materials, a comprehensive art library, printer, scanner, and shared facilities. The atmosphere encourages focus, experimentation, and artistic growth.
Alongside painting development, the programme includes Professional Practice sessions covering how to catalogue and promote your work, network with galleries, organise exhibitions, and sell paintings professionally. These sessions provide artists with the tools and confidence to navigate the art world and sustain a professional creative practice.
By the end of the programme, artists will have strengthened their technical ability, refined their creative direction, and gained confidence in presenting their work publicly.
Key details:
Duration: 12 weeks
pre course 1 hour tutorial - structure and goals meeting in the studio
3 x one on one tutorials one per month
3 x group critiques of 3-4 hours weekends
1 3 hour class per month all materials provided
Access: 24 hours a day
east and west end studio locations
Outcome: Developing your own style, professional development, portfolio growth, and exhibition preparation
Our tutors are professional artists with exceptional skill and extensive experience in oil painting and drawing. Each brings a commitment to high-quality, hands-on teaching, combining academic rigour with personal guidance in an encouraging environment.
Courses take place in our historic Neukölln attic studio – an intimate, light-filled space designed to foster focus, creativity, and craftsmanship. With its raw charm, antique objects, and quiet atmosphere, the studio offers artists a true haven for concentrated work and artistic growth.
Inside Burnt Sienna Art School
Ready to start your artistic journey?
Join Burnt Sienna Berlin and experience hands-on, professional oil painting education in a supportive, creative environment.
All courses are taught in small groups of no more than six students. All materials are included in Foundation Courses, Intermediate Courses, and Intensive Programmes.
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Art Courses & Programmes – FAQs
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We offer Foundation and Intermediate Courses, short Workshops, Mentoring Programmes and Online Tutorials—all designed to accommodate beginners through to experienced artists.
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Most Foundation and Intermediate Courses run for six sessions of three hours each (6 × 3h). Mentoring and residencies offer longer-term, flexible studio access, with one-to-one tutorials and group critiques integrated into the programme.
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Most Foundation and Intermediate Courses run for six sessions of three hours each (6 × 3h). Mentoring programmes and residencies are longer-term, offering extended studio access and one-to-one tuition.
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Classes are deliberately small, with a maximum of six students per group. This ensures individual attention, meaningful feedback, and a supportive, intimate learning environment in our historic Neukölln studio.